Introduction

You are starting to see that you can make a difference in the world around you. You do not have to be a grown-up to help someone. God can use you to encourage others and help them grow in their faith. 

This week we will learn that your words and actions can make someone’s day better, give them hope, and help them trust God more. God can and will use you to make a positive difference in other people’s lives.

Planting the Seed:

Stephen had just been killed for his faith in Jesus.  Can you imagine how afraid the other believers  were? They didn’t want to suffer the same thing,  so they scattered and only told people they knew  about Jesus. 

But there was one group of people in a town called  Antioch who told everyone about Jesus, not just  people in the same social group. When the church  in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas  (his name actually means “encourager”) to see  what was up. When he got to Antioch, he was  quite impressed! He saw evidence of God’s grace  in everyone! So, he encouraged them to keep up  the good work. 

Barnabas quickly went to Tarsus to pick up Saul so  he could see what was going on in Antioch. Then,  Barnabas and Saul stayed in Antioch for a whole  year to teach and encourage the Christians there. 

Key Verse: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is  called Today, so that none of you may be hardened  by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). 

Bible Point: Encourage each other to believe in Jesus. 

Our Diverse World 

At mealtime, take turns encouraging each other.  Start with the youngest person in the family, and  have each person say something encouraging  about that family member by finishing the  sentence “What I like about [name of family  member] is…” When all family members have said  something encouraging, move on to the next  person. Continue until everyone has had a turn  being encouraged by everyone else. 

Ready, Set, Grow! 

Choose a way you’ll be an encouragement to  others this week: 

• WATCH for a time when someone in your family seems discouraged this week. Then encourage them with words or actions. 

• DECIDE to go out of your way to encourage at least one person every day. Write down in a journal what you did or said, and then pray for the people you encouraged. 

• SEND a card to a Christian friend, telling that person you appreciate them. Encourage your friend with your words. You could even draw an encouraging picture in your letter.